English translations of Zwei Gedichte von Siegfried Kapper, opus 5

 Linde durch die Linde,
Weh'n die Abendlüfte,
Weh'n mir in die Kammer,
Liederklang und Düfte.
 
  Düfte von der Linde,
Lieder vom Geliebten
Bothen meinem Herzen, 
Ach, dem viel betrübten.
 
  Vor der Thüre draußen,
Warum stehst Du wieder?
Muß ja weinen, weinen,
Hör' ich Deine Lieder!
 
  Weinen, weil die Mutter,
Mir das Fenster wehret,
Und so schöne Mainacht
Nicht mehr wiederkehret.
 
  Sing' drum nicht von Liebe,
Singe nicht von Freude;
Stimme trüb die Saiten,
Sing' von meinem Leide!
 
  Singe, Freund, die Mutter
Schmeichelnd mir in Schlummer;
O dann sieh mich welken
Ach, vor Liebeskummer!

  Gently through the linden tree
The evening breezes blow,
Blow into my chamber
The sound of songs, and scents.
 
  Scents from the linden tree,
Songs from my beloved,
[Which for many an evening already
Have saddened me greatly!]1
 
  There outside the [gate,]2
Why are you standing again?
For I have to weep, weep,
When I hear your songs!
 
  Weep, because my mother
Keeps me from the window,
And such a beautiful [moonlit night]3
Shall not come again.
 
  [Do not sing]4 of love,
Do not sing of joy;
Tune your strings sadly,
Sing of my sorrow!
 
  Sing, beloved, beguilingly
My mother into slumber;
[Or see me die,]5
Ah, for the sorrow of love!

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Siegfried Kapper (1821 - 1879), no title, appears in Eine Novelle aus Kleinrußland
  • Go to the text page.

Based on:

• a text in Russian (Русский) by P. Kulesch  [text unavailable]
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View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Stollewerk: "Messengers to my heart, / Ah, my sorely sad heart."
² Stollewerk: "the door"
³ Stollewerk: "night in May"
⁴ Stollewerk: "Do not sing therefore
⁵ Stollewerk: "Oh then see me wilt"

This text was added to the website: 2016-01-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 118

Du kannst mich verlassen,
Ich dich nimmermehr,
Wo du gehst, da geh' ich
Neben dir einher.
 
Gingst du in's Gebirge[,]
Nähm' ich einen Stab,
Lauschte jeden Weg da,
Jeden Steg dir ab;
 
Zögest du Meerüber,
Nähm' ich einen Kahn,
Sucht im Wellenrauschen
Deines Schiffes Bahn.
 
Liebe kennt die Berge,
Ist nicht fremd am Meer,
Wo du gingst, da ging ich
Neben dir einher.

You are able to leave me,
I can leave you nevermore;
Wherever you go, there I go
Along beside you.
 
If you were to go into the mountains,
I would take a staff,
I would spy out every road,
Every pathway you take.
 
If you went across the sea,
I would take a boat,
In the rushing waves I would search
For the track of your ship.
 
Love knows the mountains,
Is not a stranger at the sea;
Wherever you went, there I would go
Along beside you.

Text Authorship:

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
  Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
  
  

Based on:

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Siegfried Kapper (1821 - 1879)
  • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2016-01-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 88